Pilot for locomotives



Feb. 20, 1923.

S. A. WYRICK PILOT FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed NOV. 1, 1922 2' sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 20, 1923. 1,446,406

S. A. WYRICK PILOT FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Nov. 1, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 I K X I,

Patented l eb. E li, lfizd.

. intents SOLOMON A. 'WYRICK, OF PALESTINE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 P. BLANCH- ARID 8c SONS, O1 PALESTINE,TEXAS,: A FIRM.

PILOT FOP. LOCOIVIOTIVES.

Application filed November 1, 1922. Serial No. 598,398.

i 0 all? whom may concern lie it known that l, SOLOMON A. Wrinoir, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Palestine, in the county of Anderson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pilots for Locomotives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pilots for locomotives.

When it is necessary to repair or. replace parts on the trucks of the locomotive, the pilot must be removed, and as such pilots are rigidly bolted to the buffer beam, this operation requires considerable time and necessarily involves great expense and delay.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to overcome this objection. lpropose to provide a structure wherein the pilot is formed in sections, which are hinged tothe buffer beam and locked to the latter when in use, and capable of being unlocked and swung apart to readily permit a mechanic to have access to the parts under the front of a locomotive requiring repair.

The invention also comprehendsimprovements in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a locomotive equipped with my improved pilot.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts assembled in pilot forming relation in full lines and the sections open up in dotted lines.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a locomotive with my improved. pilot attached and showing the pilot sections thrown open.

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

1; indicates the usual butler beam or" a locomotive, and hinged thereto near opposite ends, is my improved pilot 2.

The pilot comprises two sections 3 3, hinged to the butter beam near the outer ends thereof, as indicated at 4-4. As the two sections are exactly alike, I will describe but one. Each section comprises a substantially triangular shaped base 5, the rear edge 6 of which is in alignment with the buffer beam 1, and the inner edge 7 lies in the vertical plane of the center of said beam.

Extending upwardly from the rear of the base, some distance from the edge 7 and adjacent the edge 6, is a vertical support 8, and from the top of. this support and extending to the triangular edge 9 of the base, are inclined guards 10; The outer upper end oi the sup iort 8 is provided with a hinge member 11, which cooperates with a iinge member 12.. secured on the front of the butter beam. (in the inner top edge of tie support 8, is secured a casting 1.2 proguards 17, which extend to the base 5, the

construction affording a space for a coupler when the sections are arranged in operative relation.

The meeting edges 7 of the respective sections are formed with cooperating means, as holes and lugs 20, to interiit when the seci tions are in operative relation, to prevent relative vertical oli set of the sections; similarnieans Ell being formed on the buffer beam 1 and cooperating parts of the sections tor a similar purpose.

(hie platform member 16 is provided with overhanging flanges 23, while the companion member 16 overlies the adjacent member and tits under the flanges 23 to form an interlocking connectionto assist in holding the sections in operative relation.

In use, the two sections are swung toward each other on their hinges to form a complete pilot, the lugs and depressions 20 and 9.1. cooperatively engaging, and the platform members and flanges interlocking to assist in forming the sections into a rigid unit. The locking levers 1% are then thrown down on their pivots to engage the rear edge of the buffer beam, which with the interlocking lugs and depressions and platform sections, acts to e'liiectively hold the sections to the beam in pilot formation.

When the sections are thus locked, it is obvious that l have provided an eii'ective and substantial pilot, the arrangement of the platform members serving to provide ready and convenient means for attaching a coupling to the beam.

In case the trucks or other parts under the front of the locomotive require repair or replacement, the looking levers 14 are turned upwardly to disengage them iroin the beam,

and then the section or sections can be swung outwardly on the hinges,-as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3. Obviously with the sections swung to one side of the beam, a mechanic will experience little diiiiculty in gaining access to the parts of the locomotive in rear of the beam.

By the construction described, time, delay, and spouse, are saved in repairing the parts under the front of. a locomotive, and at the same time a strong and durable structure is provided when the sections are folded in pilot formation.

What I claim is:

i. In a locomotive pilot, the combination with a buffer beam, of two pilot sections hinged to the bufier beam, means between the sections to assist in holding the sections together, and locking levers for securing the sections in pilot forming relation to the buffer beam.

2. In locomotive pilot, the combination of a butler beam, two pilot sections hinged to the buffer beam, locking levers pivoted on the inner upper portion of the two sections and adapted to engage the bulier beam to secure the sections to the beam in pilot forming relation.

3. In combination, a locomotive buffer beam, of apilot, comprising two sections lunged to the buffer beam, each sectlon having an inwardly ntended platform member, one oi? which extends over the other, means 'on the platform sections to assist in holding 4:. In a locomotive pilot, the combination with a butler beam, of two pilot-forming sections connected to said beam for swinging toward or from each other, each of said sections having triangular bases moving in a plane below the bufier beam and upwardly and rearwardly inclined guard bars extending from one edge of such triangular base.

5. In a locomotive pilot, the combination with a butter beam, of two pilot-forining sections connected to said beam for swinging toward or from each other, each of said sections having triangular bases moving in a plane below thebutiier beam and upwardly and rearwardlv inclined guard bars extending fronione edge of such triangular base, and means carried bv the guard bars of each section to cooperate ror holding the sections when the sections are in pilot-forming relation. v

In testimony whereof I aliii; my signature.

so oMon A. WYRIGK. n. 3. 

